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A. SHOBE.

GABLE RAILWAY,

No. 337,451. Patented Mar. 9, 1886.

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i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAHAM A. SHOBE, OF JERSEYVILLE, ILLINOIS.

CABLE RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,451, dated March 9, 1886.

Application filed October 26, i885 Serial No. 181,023. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM A SHORE, of Jersey ville, in the county of Jersey and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Cable Railway; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being vhadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to an improvement in cable railways, and it consists, essentially, in providing for the cable a tube or tunnel which may be employed either with an ordinary double-rail track or with a triple-rail track, of which the central rail is adapted to carry the main weight of the cars, said tube or tunnel being so constructed that it may be used for either of the above-named types of railway without requiring any alteration in the form or dimensions of the several parts of which it is composed; and, further, that it shall constitute the main support for the cross-ties, to the extremities of which are secured the chairs upon which rest the two outer rails, so as to secure the whole rigidly together in one structure sustained mainly upon columns or supports located at suitable intervals centrally throughout the entire length of the road-bed.

The means by which I accomplish this improvement are fully explained in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of my device without the central rail. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional vicw taken in the line x m, Fig. 2, showing one of the cross-ties, to the extremities of which are secured chairs sui-mounted by the rails. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the cable-tube shown in connection with the central rail, and also taken in the linew,Fig. 2.

In the drawings, A represents a cable tube or tunnel divided longitudinally into two separate and strictly similar parts, (fully shown in the plan view, Fig. 1,) and provided with ilanges i, by which the tube is secured to the tops of central supports, f, designed to reach below the surface of the road-bed sufficiently far to Secure a permanently-solid foundation.

The sections of the tube are secured together, end to end, preferably by flanges S, adapted to receive bolts or rivets. v

To the under side of each half of the tube are secured knee-plates r, (shown in Fig. 2,) to which are bolted cross-ties B, the outer ends of which are bent into a vertical position, sov

as to support at a proper elevation chairs c, each of which is provided with a downwardprojecting flange, o, by which it is secured to the cross-tie. The tops of said chairs are preferably made flat, as shown, and are intended to rest on the surface of the road-bed, the upper surface being designed to receive any ordinary form of rail secured in position by any of the means usually employed for that purpose.

At suitable distances apart throughout the length of the tube are cable-carriers g, adapted to revolve upon Xed spindles e, supported by hangers d, secured to the sides of the tube, as shown in Fig. 2.

To adapt the tube for the reception of a deep central rail, k, secured to the central supports, f, by bolts, rivets, or other suitable fastenings, the two halves are removed laterally upon the central supports to such position that they stand at such a distance apart as the base of the rail may require for its admission between them, or as may be necessary to leave an opening, n, Fig. 4, between each side of the head of the rail and the tube, to admit the arm of an ordinary cable-grip, which, when the center rail is not employed, passes down into thetube through the opening y. (Shown in Figs. l and 2.)

In order to adapt the spindles e, upon which the cable-carriers revolve, to the triple as well as to the double rail track, they are made long enough to reach through both hangers when the two halves of the tube areseparated to the widest extent, one end being rigidly secured in the eye of one hanger and the other free to slide longitudinally through the eye of the opposite one, as shown in Fig. l.

In regard to the cross-ties, it will be observed that they are each provided, as shown at h, Fig. 3, with bolt-holes adapted to both positions of the two halves of the tube, the two inner holes to be used when the two halves of the tube are in the position shown in Fig. 3 and the two outer ones when in the position shown in Fig. 4.

For the operation of branch roads a third, or, 1f necessary, a fourth, cable-carrier may beintei-posed between the two shown in the drawings.

I am aware that the central supports shown are not new, and therefore I do not claim them.

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,'is-

l. In a cable railway, the combination, with supports central to the railway-track, of a cable tube or tunnel consistingof two parts separated longitudinally and adapted for lateral adjustment, substantially as set forth.

2. In a cable railway, the combination, with the cabletube, of cross-ties secured to the un der side thereof and turned up near their ends, so as to form, in one piece with the tie, verti- Cal supports adapted to sustain the rail'chairs, as set forth.

3. In a cable railway, the combination, with a cable-tube divided longitudinally, each part being adapted for lateral adjustment, of a center rail interposed between said parts and sus tained by the central supports, substantially as set forth.

4. In a cable railway, the combination, with a cable-tube divided longitudinally, each part being adjustable laterally, of hangers secured thereto and arranged in pairs adapted to sus tain spindles, upon which are journaled cablecarriers, each of said spindles being immovable in the eye of one hanger and free to slide longitudinally in the eye of the other, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of Septeniber, 1885. i

ABRAHAM A. SHORE.

Witnesses:

ROBERT NEWTON, A. DELL ALnREcH'r. 

